Girl Interrupted Summary

Based on the memoirs of Susanna Kaysen, Girl Interrupted tells of her experiences during 1967 of being institutionalized in a mental hospital. Susanna is rushed to the hospital after consuming a handful of aspirin with a bottle of vodka. Afterwards she discusses this with a psychiatrist over the incident. After just graduating high school, Susanna seems to be mentally lost. She experiences some delusions and also been having an affair with the husband of her parents' friend. The doctor suggests that combining a bottle of aspirin with vodka was a suicide attempt. Susanna does deny this but he recommends a short period of rest at Claymoore. Claymoore is a private mental hospital full of mentally unfit women. Susanna plans to stay only a few weeks, but she ends up staying almost nearly two years. Some of the patients include: Georgina is a pathological liar, Polly who has been badly scarred by fire, Daisy who will not eat in the presence of other people. Lisa who is diagnosed as a sociopath, the biggest and most problematic for the staff and the most persuasive influence on the other girls in the hospital. Susanna forms a close relationship with Lisa and the girls. Lisa however, is known to make continuous efforts to escape the institution and she somewhat takes Susanna under her rule.

During the time that Susanna spent there, males were being drafted for Vietnam. That created rash decisions made from the community. During their time in the institution, the girls would all gather to watch the TV. Not only was media a type of bonding for them, but it showed them the norms in society. Once seeing and realizing these norms, it was easy for some of the girls, who lacked social tendencies, to mimic those of their peers. Especially Lisa. The memoir also shows how social loafing and groupthink go about to girls who may lack social